The further and continuing adventures of the girl who sat in the back of your homeroom, reading and daydreaming.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Colcannon: It's What's For Dinner

Tonight, I made the real deal, the pure quill: Colcannon, genuine mashed potatoes with a good ham steak and rich, dark kale garnished with spring onions, scallions and just a hint of cherry pepper -- all mixed together!

It's an Irish dish, hot and filling and while it might sound a bit odd, it tastes great. I've made it before but somehow didn't through the just-over long, dark depressing Winter.

This time I went almost traditional -- chopped up the ham steak and heated it while the tatties were boiling, scissored kale into little bits and sauteed briefly with diced onions and cherry pepper (pickled!) once the potatoes were cooked and while they were drying. From there on, it's simple -- leave the kale be and mash the potatoes, gradually adding milk and a little butter (etc.) 'til they feel right (I do skin-on, which means the initial stirring gets done with a scissors or a sharp knife). Then mix in the ham and kale, strir it up good and serve steaming hot, sprinkled with parsley and a pat of butter melting in a little divot on top. I like it with rather a lot of ham and kale in the potatoes.

Tam went back for seconds; I had a bit more, too.

...And we watched this week's Archer which, after a worrisome start, is back to being the best show on television.

"I saw to what extent the people among whom I lived could be trusted as good neighbors and friends; that their friendship was for summer weather only; that they did not greatly propose to do right; that they were a distinct race from me by their prejudices and superstitions."